Graham Osbourne – Shay Stadium

I started working as a groundsman at the age of 10 for Halifax Town.  I have worked at the Shay Stadium, where I am now, for 20 years starting having started there when I was 24. 

I began as a casual sports assistant running a five a side sports pitch and gradually worked my way up to Head Groundsman/Assistant Stadium Manager, winning the Rugby League Groundsman of the Year in 2006.  There are normally 70-80 matches per year hosting FC Halifax Town and Halifax Rugby League FC, as well as amateur finals, so we are kept very busy maintaining both the pitch and the stadium.
 

 Graham Osbourne

Shay Stadium

Jonathan Calderwood – Aston Villa

I am currently in charge of Villa park and Bodymoor Heath , Aston Villa training ground and responsibilities include managing a team of ten groundsmen between sites, maintenance of 14 pitched including Villa park, the 1st team training ground and Academy training ground.

Since the arrival of our owner, Randy Lerner, in 2006 the grounds department has become vital to the clubs development with significant investment being made into the playing surfaces at the stadium, the new training ground and the old training ground which has now become the academy training ground. The investment includes a new Desso pitch at Villa Park in 2006 with the deployment of ultraviolet lights being used and state of the art training pitches at Bodymoor Heath, complete with Desso pitch to replicate the surface at Villa park.  Investment has also been made into upgrading the old training ground pitches , which are now used by the academy.

With this investment comes the added pressure of the expectations of very high standards from the grounds team and is something we all thoroughly enjoy trying to achieve.

Villa Park may never previously have had a reputation for a top class playing surface, but we would like to think we have gone a long way in changing this perception and will continue to maintain and improve standards in the long term.

Jonathan Calderwood

Aston Villa

Jason Booth – Headingley Carnegie Stadium

I am 36 years old and have been in groundsmanship for over 20 years having started under my mentor, Keith Boyce, at Headingley cricket ground. I had brief spells as a cricketer with Yorkshire and Kent which also included a Winter away in Australia but I soon succumbed to the temptation of a life in turf.  I returned to Headingley in February 2000 as an assistant and took over the following year as Head groundsman.  I have been there ever since.

I have responsibility for 5 staff and over 30 acres in total of land including training facilities.  We have both rugby codes at Headingley Carnegie stadium which means we have all year round sport on what is a natural turf pitch, and with the test cricket arena next door also means we become a car park for 6 to 7 days a year! We have developed a programme to make up for no renovation periods and with the backing of my club and directors we have made good investment in machinery over the past few years.

We have recently set up a contracting arm to the groundstaff and whilst it is still in its infancy, signs are that this will be successful.  We also work with the local agricutultural college delivering practical sessions at the ground for students. I feel privileged to work for such an organisation that treat me and my staff so well and also appreciate what a tough job groundsmanship can be and what a skilled profession it is.

Jason Booth

Headingley Carnegie Stadium

John Dodwell – Caterham School

I was born in 1960, in Caterham (not more than one furlong from Caterham school playing fields!) and educated at Trinity school Croydon.  I took up my position at Caterham School as Groundsman in 1981, promoted to Deputy Head Groundsman in 1990, then Head Groundsman in 1993.

In that time the school has grown from 600 boys aged 9-18, to the current population of 1000+ boys and girls ages 3-18. The grounds span an impressive 25 hectares, sports pitches mixed with woodland and miles of (well maintained) hedgerow. I manage a team of 6 staff varying in age and skill and we are responsible for 9 rugby pitches, 6 lacrosse pitches, junior football pitches, synthetic surfaces and two twelve wicket cricket squares, one of which is home to Caterham Cricket Club. We also prepare the pitches for Old Caterhamians Rugby club.

I am also the ECB’s pitch advisor for Surrey, a member of the Surrey Cricket Groundsman’s Association and Caterham is now an approved centre of excellence for the delivery of the IOG/City & Guilds L2 and L3 qualifications - I am so pleased this is working as I’m a great believer in staff furthering and improving themselves on every level.

John Dodwell

Caterham School